Millions of people are physically and/or emotionally traumatized by sexual assault by someone they meet at a club or party as a result of “date-rape” drugs. In many cases, the rape occurs because their drinks have been spiked with one of the three most common drugs: GHB, Ketamine and Rohypnol. These are potent mixtures that affect the central nervous system. Date-rape drugs are odorless, colorless, and tasteless, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The drugs are slipped into alcoholic beverages when the victim isn’t looking and cause drowsiness, amnesia, and blackouts.

The only alternatives available at this time are watching one’s drink vigilantly or using special testing strips that require a person to pour a bit of the drink onto the strip and wait a few minutes for the results.

Date-rape drugs are nearly impossible to detect, but start-up company DrinkSavvy is developing a container made of a material that can detect the drugs and discreetly alert a drinker by changing colors if a drug is added. The container is clear when no drugs are present, and changes color if drugs are present. The prototype container has easily-spotted red stripes when drugs are added to its contents.

DrinkSavvy’s founder Mike Abramson’s inspiration came after he himself was drugged. “I was thinking that I needed to develop something that was discreet, effortless, and continuous,” he says.

Abramson also wants to create straws and other kinds of drinking apparatuses that can help with detection. As of Wednesday morning, DrinkSavvy has reached $23,869 of its $50,000 goal on fundraising site Indiegogo.com, with only 18 days left for fundraising. To contribute, you can visit the DrinkSavvy website or PayPal account. Show your support by following their updates on Facebook or Twitter. You can also make the bars and clubs you frequent aware of the DrinkSavvy products by asking them to email [email protected] to sign up to receive notifications when the products become available.

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